New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-10
MR.. HOWELLs ON REALISM
A TALK WITH THE NOVELIST.

assuming that quiet homelike appearance which per-
vades the places here notably as to suggest
that the placid beautiful lake lends its softenng spirit
to all who place themselves upon its shores The larger
hotels such the Sycamore, the Fort William Henry
and that delightful and unique resort Crosbyside look
forward to prosperous summer pleasant society
has grown up among the permanent cottagers. Dr
Edward Eggleston and his clever daughter come up
every GUNNER and occupy q little place In Dunhar's
| Bay. Mr.. Richard Thurston Of Montclar Terrace;
Samuel Winchester, the Rev. James c. Wilson, George
Cramer Le Grand b. Cannons brother in-law Henry
Hayden. A. d. f. Randolph, the publisher; the Rev. Dr.
futile, Mrs. DIR. Brown, and Matthew Wilson, the
portrait painter who has just completed large picture
Of Senator Chandler for the Navy Department. are all
regular tenants along the southern slopes OF the lake.
A highly priced addition to these has been made in
Mr. and Mrs. W. d. Howells, who have ventured to
break away from the circle OF Bostonan resorts and
who are not sorry they have done So
Mr. Howels occupies that long, low rambling cottage
the sunset side Of the Lake which built by and
for many years the home Of Judge Ejmunds whose
fame spirualist quito great as his fame ~
jurist.
The author Of silas Lapham likes Lake George
called upon him yesterday, and found him with his fam
lily about him, seated the front piazza OF his cottage
In soft felt hat, white flannel shirt and large easy
pair corduroy He looked tho picture Of good
health Evidently he had not summed the sunlight for
his face darkly tanned He answered the question
how in the world he had ventured into New
York state for vacation by saying that though
warmly attached to Boston, he not to the manor
bon and found 1t less difficult to do strange and I'M
usual things than if he were native Bostonese.
"we left early" he said spending June in Carbon
dale without having our summer plans definitely
arranged, though feeling that faces rather
surely turned in the direction OF Lake George What
lovely place it Isl We enjoying 1t immensely. DR..
Eggeston lives the LAKE almost opposite this
Nil Iya nd koglas N the
other day"
Are you contemplating any new literary work, Mr..
| Howelsi"
b. Yes have just written the first pages of "a
novel not yet announced began It, in fact, only the
day before yesterday. IL will be purely American
story its chief events centred in New England country
town, though IL will relate TO both city and country e
have not thought Of name for it yet, nor, thought
have its plot pretty we'll sketched out in my mind,
should feel at liberty 10 detail it " just now. The
nature OF my arrangements with the Harpers, who have
contracted with for all write, is such that entire
good faith requires leave with them the time and
form Of any extenled announcement We shall not leave
Lake George before October and by that time hope to
have the book in fairly good shape"
How do you work herei'
There is my little Office" replied the novelist pol1t
Ing little stored wing of the house will you
look atitr
tits pretty room. with hardwood floor and plenty
Lincoln after that lately reproduced In The Century, and
pictures OF Tolstoi BJornson. Hawthorne, and Others
were Oh the walls large hat desk and several easy
chairs completed the rooms furniture"
write here for about four hours every morning after
breakfast" continued Mr.. Howes " Yes, become
vastly interested in my work 1t quite possesses me- or
course. there times when feel myself unable to
think and 1t really pals but that Is every
mans experience In every kind Of effort"
There are very many beautiful Indian romances
ating the mountains and islands and inets all about
here. Mr. HowelIsr ventured to suggest
"True the history Of Lake George full Of romance,
but them you know look upon that the province Of
poetry rather than OF prose narrative think that it
Is asking good deal OF people In these busy practical
times 10 80 back with you for half q dozen or more
generations, and TO lose themselves among strange
toms and among strange people in strange land The
public OF 10 day. think feels that but little is TO be
gained by such into the past 1t knows where
for history, and for OF the past II has
the poets The real sentiment Of to-day requires that the
novelist shall portray section OF real life that has in 1t
useful and aninating purpose. All the good work Of
our time Is being done on this theory"
Then you do regard the work Of the present Eng
lsh school OF romancists represented, will say by
Haggard, as good work."
regard the writings OF that school nothing moro
than counter.current 1t Is real tendency OF the
times Every great current has its counter eldes and
the fiction OF the present day, which Is preemnenty
realistic us romantic endeaVor, as
SCOTS day. when the sentiment universally toward
romance and extravagant fiction, there ebulOns
OF realism They amounted TO little They were
entirely Insignificant as showing the feeling Of the age
They held TO the century tho relation is now
held by the essays of English romancists
In proof of this Just glance at the work which public
sentiment has passed favoraby upon in all Intelligent
countries. Russia has led in the school, and holds
the foremost place among the nations that have pro-
duced great modern noyests. England stands at the
very bottom Of the list Hardy Is great may say,
worry great novelist His pictures of life life itself
Mrs. Howells and have heard under windows IN |
England the very thoughts, yes, the very accents,
which he has attributed to his English peasantry His
truth and sincerity admirable And Black. too so
far have read him, Is able, skilfu writer But
the Russian novelists lead the world indeed, affirm
that Tolsoi occupies to all fiction the relation that
Shakespeare occupies to oil drama. lie has q very.
strong ethical SIDE and not only teaches II and portrays
1t, but lives It. He has given himself up to It He
believes that men should 1.-Two precisely and literally
Christ lived. and abandoning literature, where he stood
the summit of fiction he has adopted the daily life OF
o Russian peasant"
remarked that that seemed like simplicity itself and
received this retort
Isn't that because civilization is sophisticated,
read and believe that Christ is God, but
tines our actions imply that scarcely think He
meant what He said about the conduct OF life"
"who do you think ranks next to Tolstoi as writer
of fctioni'
"Turgenief"
do you to say that the greatest writers Of fc
ton that the world has produced both Rus
siansi"
YES, think am prepared to say just that The
novels OF these absolute truth They
nature barred They greatest because their writer's
have ability and the courage paint humanity and
It's affairs just they That regard the highest
art"
Where then do Won Dlace Dickens
Dickens of his times and 1t Is only fair to
him to view him in that light The age just before his
was extravaganuy romantic The work then done did
fully satisfy the rapidly growing practical thought Of
Dckenss time One Of the discoveries of his age
that while fiction sounded suited and unreal when clad
N the garb OF poetry yet there things In life quite
romantic any of tho paintings OF the poets The
2asaiaaa raaIistic sahaal laad ani.